SPORTS
KANSAS SETS TEAM RECORD FOR RUNS SCORED IN BIG 12 SERIES
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
HORSE EUTHANIZED AFTER FALL AT DERBY
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WWW.KANSAN.COM
MONDAY MAY 5,2008
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BASEBALL
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Kansas routs Oklahoma, 9-4
Sophomore second baseman Robby Price puts a tag on Oklahoma base runner Aaron Baker for an out. Price was assisted on the play by junior catcher Buck Afenir after Baker attempted to steal second
Freshman hurls 62/3 innings; Jayhawks earn sweep
Weston White/KANSAN
BY SHAWN SHROYER sshroyer@kansan.com
How many times does it seem to happen that a player starts a rally after making a gold glove play in the field? Well, it happened in the seventh for Kansas.
With two outs, a runner on second and the score 5-4 in Kansas' favor, sophomore second baseman Robby Price made a diving catch on a laser up the middle to end the inning.
"That was a great play. That takes the tying run off the board, and they're not still hitting, and who knows what would have happened with the next guy in their lineup," Kansas coach Ritch Price said.
Robby Price then led off the bottom of the inning with a bunt single. One batter later he touched home on a double by senior left fielder John Allman. Junior catcher Buck Afenir capped off the inning with a two-run home run to left field to stretch Kansas' lead to 8-4.
The clutch inning sparked by Price helped clinch the weekend sweep for Kansas (29-22, 8-13) against Oklahoma (29-20-1, 6-14-1) as the Jayhawks won by a final score of 9-4 Sunday at Hoglund Ballpark. The victory moved Kansas within a half-game of sixth place in the Big 12.
"You always start to get hot late in the season, and I've been here long enough to see trends like that," Aliman said. "Every year it seems like we get rolling about this time - once the weather starts to perk up, we start swinging the bats better and the pitchers start feeling it a little better - and we're just getting that synergy back as a team."
While Robby stole the show in the seventh, his brother, senior right fielder Ryne Price, struck first in the bottom of
the second with his 11th home run of the season. It just wouldn't have been fitting for the first run of the game not to come via the long ball.
Not until the ton of the fourth did Oklahoma scratch its first run off Kansas right-hander T.J. Walz (4-0).
Center fielder Aljay Davis was the catalyst in the inning, hitting a leadoff double to left. Back-to-back fly balls advanced him to third and then home to make the score 3-1.
Ryne Price earned a walk, stole two bases and scored in the bottom of the inning, though, to negate Oklahoma's run. Oklahoma right-hander Ryan Duke (5-4) exited the game in the inning, having allowed four runs in 3 2/3 innings on five
hits and two walks.
But Walz' outing wasn't much easier as the Sooners continued to chip away in the fifth. After allowing a one-out single, Walz gave up a two-run home run to shortstop Matt Harughty. The home run ball took off Allman's glove as he reached over the fence to catch it. It also brought Oklahoma to within one, 4-3.
"I thought I got up to it, but my wrist kind of broke on the fence, and I lost my glove," Allman said.
The teeter-tottering of runs continued in the bottom of the inning. Roby Price led off the inning with a single and scored three batters later on a throwing error by Harughty as he tried to turn a double play.
However, Walz ended the scoring streak
in the top of the sixth.
After getting two quick outs to start the inning, Walz allowed back-to-back hits and found himself with two runners in scoring position. Kansas pitching coach Ryan Graves came to the mound to talk to Walz, but he stayed in the game and induced a foul pop out to get out of the jam.
"He just asked me if I had any more in me, and I said, 'Yeah,' Walz said.
But the Sooners inched back in the top of the seventh, ending Walz' afternoon.
Hurrayth led the inning off with an infield single and went from first to third on a base hit. Hurrayth scored on a sacrifice fly from Davis. With that, Walz called it a day and was relieved by junior left-hander Sam Freeman.
That's when Robby Price came to the rescue with his diving nab.
Kansas carried the momentum into the bottom of the inning to put the game out of reach and added a run in the bottom of the eighth. Junior reliever Paul Smyth came in for his 10th save of the season.
In 6 2/3 innings, Walz allowed four runs on nine hits and a walk, and he struck out two in the winning effort. With all the runs Kansas was scoring in the series 39 in all; the most in a Big 12 series for Kansas Walz felt at ease on the mound.
"You feel like you have a lot more breathing room, and you don't feel like you have to be perfect," Walz said.
Edited by Daniel Reyes
CAPITOL
BY LUKE MORRIS
Imorris@kansan.com
TOPEKA — The state Capitol turned into the hall of champions when members of the national champion basketball and debate teams and the Orange Bowl champion football team came to receive honors Friday.
The championship tour of the state house began in Gov. Kathleen Sebelins'
house began in Gov. office. Sebelius, who earned her master's degree from the University of Kansas, posed for pictures with each team. Sophomore quarterback Kerry Meier said the governor congratulated the teams and gave them pins to commemorate their accomplishments.
Laura Bricks, Topeka resident, said it was a great time meeting the players. As she followed the team around, she gathered plenty of autographs on the back of her basketball national champions shirt.
The players then visited the state Senate and House of Representatives. Legislators, particularly the ones from Douglas and Johnson counties, sang praises of the teams and the University.
coming here, but it's great that everyone came out to celebrate," Meier said.
Chancellor Robert Hemenway, Athletics Director Lew Perkins, other Kansas athletics staff and many coaches walked through the halls with the players.
"It was pretty surreal because we don't get press conferences or parades after winning a big tournament."
"I've never got to meet these guys that I love so much before, so this is a blast for me," Bricks said.
Fans followed the teams everywhere they went, asking for pictures and autographs, and the players were happy to oblige.
NATE JOHNSON KU debate team member
"I didn't know what I was getting into
"It's been pretty awesome sitting next to traditionally great teams, the basketball and football teams." Johnson said.
Nate Johnson, debate team member and Manhattan senior, said the experience was like nothing else.
"It was pretty surreal because we don't get press conferences or parades after winning a big tournament, so this is pretty phenomenal."
be included in this.
Chances are not much work got done in the Capitol Friday. Just like the legislators, janitors and other staff took some time off to celebrate the teams' achievements.
Freshman right feilder Liz Kocon slides safely into third underneath the tag Saturday afternoon against Iowa State. Kocon advanced to third on a wild pitch and later stole home for Kansas' lone run in a 2-1 loss against the Cyclones.
"Our boss understands," said Janitor Dee Johns. "We're all big Jayhawk fans, so we're going to have our fun, too."
— Edited by Matt Hirschfeld
Weston White/KANSAN
SOFTBALL
Jayhawks hit season-ending split
BY KELLY BRECKUNITCH kbreckunitch@kansan.com
The University of Kansas softball team ended the regular season with another series split, this time against the Iowa State Cyclones. The Jayhawks started off the series a little shaky with a 2-1 loss in the first game but came back to finish the weekend with a 6-2 victory in the second game.
The team had a rough time from the offensive side in the first game. Freshman right fielder Liz Kocon had two of the three hits in the game, while sophomore first baseman Amanda Jobe added the third. Junior pitcher Valerie George did as much as she could to limit the Iowa State offense, but big hits helped earn the Cyclones a victory. Sophomore catcher Alex Johnson hit a home run for the Cyclones and sophomore Amanda Bradberry drove in the only other run of the game. George did force Iowa State to strand seven runners on base, but the offense could not give her enough run support to get the victory.
Coach Tracy Bunge said senior day was a very big deal going into the second game of the series. "The team really wanted to get one today for them," Bunge said.
The second game was a lot different for the Jayhawks. The team compiled five hits and got on base with five walks. Freshman catcher Brittany Hile kick-started the offense with a solo home run in the second inning and junior third baseman Val Chapple followed that with a three-run home run in the third inning. Freshman pitcher Allie Clark was able to minimize the damage from Iowa State's offense. Clark gave up two solo home runs in the game, but she forced Iowa State to strand eight runners on base. She also struck out six Cyclones. Junior center fielder Dougie McCaulley and Sixon added some insurance runs in the sixth inning to cushion the team's lead. George relieved Clark in the sixth inning and finished out the game to get the save.
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Bunge said Hile's home run was a big hit but Chapple his home run may have been
Bunge said a lot of the team had been battling the flu bug, and the performance from a thin pitching staff and a retooled lineup was great.
even bigger. "That was obviously a big hit for us with two outs right there and two runners on base and gave us a little bit of breathing room," Bunge said.
"Those kids, you know, they fought hard, and they gave us a lot, and today was a little bit about a gut check for a lot of kids," Bunge said.
The team finished the regular season
with a 37-18 record, the most wins for a KU team since Bunge's first year as coach at Kansas. The Jayhawks now prepare for the conference tournament where they will be the seventh seed. Bunge and a lot of her players won't be worried, though, because they said through the season that they enjoyed being the underdog.
Edited by Katherine Loeck